My dad has rifles as well as handguns and would shoot targets but I never touched one. My BF does have a hunting rifle that he inherited from his grandpa but has never used it. Personally, I went out and took a self-defense course called Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) which is offered for free here on campus once a year. I have learned the proper ways to use myself as a weapon and have been tested on it and passed so I don't feel the need to have a gun. I saw a statistic on the news sometime saying that most intruders/robbers don't actually use the gun. The have it for show and most never even have it loaded. I think that IF the intruder had one, he most likely would not use it UNLESS you brought yours out and threatened him with it. I just think the safest thing is to lock yourself in a room like the bathroom with your cell phone and call 911. I don't feel the need to play hero.

I have swayed him on certain things before like when he said he will definitely put 5,000 in a CD for his kids once their born so their college is paid for (which I think is just flat out ridiculous). He really was against me when I said my kids will not have their school paid for. I paid for mine and think I'm better for it and have learned a lot about finances and saving that other kids haven't. Once I put it into a real situation and said "what if...." he got my view and said that it really did make sense.

Maybe if I go to him and say "what if an intruder came in while we were home? do you think you would have the nerve (being calm) and the time to actually go get the gun? if its stored in the house it needs to be locked up, on safety and unloaded. you really think you would be able to unlock the case, turn off the safety AND load the gun before this guy trashes the house or does something else?" or "why wouldn't a security system that notifies the police be just as good if not better?"

I think some of it is him having to "prove" his manliness because he is kind of insecure in some ways. But personally, I would feel LESS safe with a gun in the house rather than more safe.

I might ask him about having a gun case in case he ever wants to bring the rifle home (it is in storage now). Or keeping it at his uncles house. His uncle is an avid hunter and has deer stands on his property so he has several rifles but are all in a gun case and unloaded unless he is going hunting. I think if he were to ever go hunting it would be with him so keeping it at his house where he already has the necessary precautions would be a better idea. Or even in a shed. I just don't want them around me.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.